Doumbia Receives Sporting Offer, Benfica and Brentford Join Race for Midfielder

The battle for second place in the league between Sporting and Benfica is heating up, but another fierce rivalry is brewing between the Lions and the Eagles. This time, it's in the transfer market, and the target is 22-year-old midfielder Issa Doumbia, a standout player for Venezia in Serie B, who was instrumental in their recently secured promotion to the top flight.

Benfica is already in negotiations with Venezia, a fact that A BOLA had previously reported, as are Sporting.

However, unlike Sporting, who have already made a concrete offer and whose project has greatly appealed to the player, Benfica has yet to engage in discussions with Doumbia himself.

Maximum rivalry on and off the pitch. This has always been the dynamic between Sporting and Benfica. After FC Porto clinched the national title on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Alverca at the Estádio do Dragão, the two Lisbon giants are now locked in a fierce battle for second place, which guarantees a coveted spot in the UEFA Champions League. This intense fight for Champions League millions extends to the transfer market, where both clubs are vying for the Italian U21 international midfielder.

Sporting's interest in Issa Doumbia is not new. As we reported, the green and whites are preparing for the departures of Morten Hjulmand and Hidemasa Morita – the former due to a promised move away from Alvalade, and the latter because his contract is expiring. Doumbia, Venezia's number 8, has long been identified as a key target. Sporting has already initiated concrete talks with the player, ahead of Benfica, who are now expected to accelerate their pursuit, especially with Venezia's promotion secured, allowing them to focus more on the transfer market. But now, Benfica is stepping into the fray…

While both clubs are in talks with Venezia, only Sporting has, for now, also spoken directly with the player. Doumbia has received a concrete offer for a five-year contract, valid until June 2031, with a commensurate salary. His release clause is expected to be set at €80 million, a standard figure at Alvalade for midfielders and forwards.

The Lions' vision has greatly impressed Doumbia, who views the proposal from the green and whites very favorably. However, Benfica's entry into the race will naturally not be overlooked by the player, who now finds himself at the center of a bidding war between Portugal's two biggest clubs. Both offer him the chance to compete for titles, though only one can offer him Champions League football next season.

This season, Doumbia has featured in 37 matches (36 in the league and one in the Coppa Italia), scoring nine goals and providing five assists. His most recent assist came on Friday, a lethal pass to Yeboah for the first goal in the 2-2 draw against Spezia, which secured Venezia's promotion celebrations.

Beyond Sporting and now Benfica, numerous Italian clubs have been tracking the midfielder for a long time, but none have yet approached Venezia regarding a potential transfer. However, this doesn't mean the Portuguese clubs won't face competition for the Italian talent…

The danger for both the Lions and the Eagles now comes from England, where Brentford, currently 7th in the Premier League – theoretically in a Conference League spot but just one point behind 6th-placed Bournemouth, which could lead to Champions League qualification if Aston Villa wins the Europa League and finishes 5th in the league – has also shown significant interest in the Venezia midfielder. Everyone knows that any deal will not be for less than €15 million, but with the race heating up, that figure is likely to inflate.